Distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances



Get. 16, 1928. 1,687,991

c. H. PARKER DISTILLATION OF COAL AND SIMILAR CARBONACEOUS SUBSTANCES Filed Jan. 27, 1928 IIZUEIZ tor 6T EPTIrhr PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HENRY PARKER, OF OODSALL, ENGLAND.

DISTILLATION 0! GOAL AND SIMILAR CABBONACEOUS SUBSTANCES.

Application filed January 27, 1928, Serial No 249,967, and in Great Britain September 25, 1928.

This invention relates to apparatus for the distillation of coal'and similar solid car"- bonaceous substances and especially for carrying out distillation at low or medium temperatures for the production of a residue that is substantially smokeless in burning in an open grate and that has a substantial volatile content, and especially relates to apparatus of the kind in which the carbonaceous substance is charged into receptacles of cylindrical or elongated form adapted to traverse an inclined retort by rolling through the retort under the action of gravity. Y

The invention has for its object to provide means whereby the carbonaceous substance may be dried before distillation in an economical manner. 7

According to the invention the charged receptacles, prior to their introduction into the retort, are causedto traverse a chamber or chambers through which the heated waste gases from the heating chambers or flues of the retort setting pass to the chimney or other outlet, so that the carbonaceoussubstance contained in the receptacles is sub jccted to the heat of the waste gases and is thus dried. v v

The chamber or chambers in which the treatment is carried out may be constructed in any suitable manner and may be disposed in any desired position with reference to the retort or retorts to' which the receptacles which pass through the chamber or chambers are transferred. Thus, the retort setting may be provided of increased height for the formation of a drying chamber in position above the retort or retorts and the said chamber may be providedwith an inclined track,

the upper end of which is adapted to receive the charged receptacles from the charging apparatus and the lower end of which is con-.

nected to the upper end of the track in the retort by suitable transferring or feed apparatus, or the floor of the chamber may be inclined and suitably formed or fitted with surfaces upon which the receptacles may roll. The receptacles may, moreover, be subjected directly to the heat of the waste gases, which may be caused to pass through the heating chamber in contact with them, or they may traverse an inclined tubular structure disposed within the heating chamber, the waste gases traversing the annular space within the heating chamber around the said tubular structure. The heating chamber may, further, be provided as a connectin flue between the retort setting and the chimney or other outlet by which the waste gases are discharged.

It will thus be understood that the invention is not limited to any articular construction of the heating cham er nor to any particular disposition with reference to the retort setting or the retort or retorts with which it is required to co-operate as these may be varied without departing from the invention and without afiecting the desired result, which is the shortening of the time required for effecting distillation in the retort or retorts and for reducing the content of moisture present in the ammoniacal liquor,

It will also be understood that while it is desirable that the heating chambers should be of gas-tight construction, this is not essential. a

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing which is a partial longitudinal section of the retort furnace settin and. ofv a preliminary heating chamber t rough which the hot waste gases from the retort furnace passes forthe purpose of subjecting the receptacles to the heat' of the waste gases for the purpose of drying the carbonaceous substance prior to its entry'into the retort.

In the drawing the invention is illustrated as applied to the apparatus for the distillation of carbonaceous substances the subjectmatter of a co-pending a plication.

In the drawin a are 51c retorts, b the retort furnace an 0 the preliminary heating chamber through which the hot waste gases ass and d the receptacles in which the caronaceous substance is char and in which it passes through the pre iminary heating chamber, and through the retort,-

I claim:

A paratus for the distillation of coal and simi ar carbonaceous material, comprising an inclined tubular retort, a tubular preheating casing of considerably greater cross section than said retort and arranged above said retortwit-h its lower end connected to the upper end of the retort, said preheating casing and said retort being arranged to define a continuous descending passa .way of zig-zag formation, a setting in w 'ch said retort and said preheating casings are supported and having passages therein about said retort but not about said preheating casing for the distribution of heating gases,

substantially cylindrical receptacles in which the carbonaceous material is charged adapted to roll in and be guided by said preheating casing and said retort, said receptacles having perforated ends, and means for sealing the upper end of said preheating casing and the lower end of said retort, said receptacles being of such dimension as to substantially fill said retort, whereby said receptacles are subjected to the heating action of a large quantity of accumulated products of distillation during their passage through said preheating casing.

CHARLES HENRY PARKER. 

